Harnett County staff recommend CMAR procurement for new animal adoption center

HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. — County staff said Harnett County has closed on land for a new animal adoption center and recommended the board use a construction manager‑at‑risk (CMAR) procurement method when advertising a request for qualifications (RFQ) for design and construction.

During the meeting, a county staff member identified in the record as Mr. Blevins told commissioners the county closed on the site last month and is ready to move forward with hiring an architect and contracting for construction. Staff described the overall project as complex (plumbing and specialized systems) and said CMAR would allow the county to select an architect for design work and then partner with a construction manager during design to help manage cost and schedule risk. Staff said CMAR has been widely used in local school projects and could speed delivery compared with traditional design‑bid‑build.

Staff estimated the project cost at about $10 million and asked direction from the board on procurement and whether to advertise the RFQ using CMAR language. Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives such as design‑build; no commissioners voiced opposition to using CMAR. A commissioner said staff should proceed with the same process used by the school system; staff indicated they would place the CMAR recommendation on the consent agenda for the board’s next meeting.